Gear-shifting device.



H. 1'. MURRAY.

GEAR SHIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. Il. I9I4.

Patented June 4, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I. m15 /Zj/ HA I. MURRAY.

GEAR SHIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOI/.11,1914- l 26@,266 l i Patented J une 4, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WIT/VESSES l/I/I/E/I/ TOR H. I. MURRAY.

GEAR SHIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. Ii. i914. II2I8,66 memed June 4,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IN1/EN TUR F' .9. By WM5( switch with HOWARD J'. MURRAY, 0F BROOKLYN,

GEAR-smr'rnve DEVICE. f

Specification of letters Patent.

.Patenten .rane i, raie.

i Application lled November 11, 1914. Serial No. 871,439.

To all 'whom zt may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD J.' MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve` ments in Gear-Shifting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an electric control for use in connection with mechanically actuated gear shifting and similar mechanism of the type which depends for its operation upon the selective throw of certain controlling members.

One of the objects of the invention is to pr ylde a simple form of control which will.

positively move the desired controlling member on the closing of a suitable electric the least expenditure of ener electrical or mechanical, and which will automatically return the parts to a neutral or safety .position in case other functional derangement of the parts.

A further object is to provide a device v`of the above indicated character which may be momentarily coupled with some continuously lolrivenpart for a time suiiicient to make the deslred shift of the controlling member.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of theaccompanying draw-v ings and in part will be in the following particular description of l embodying my inf,

more fully set forth one lform of mechanism vention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth. and claimed.

Jtional view taken on transverse sectlonal v1ew taken on the line In the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a plan view of a; portion of one orm of my lnvention showing a device of the `magnetic locking type with parts of the casing broken away yto show details of construction; j

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a long sec- -the line'Q-Q and a S'f of Fig. 1; y Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View .of the form line 9 9 of the of short circuiting or.

preclated that the invention 1s not so limited mechanism of Fig. l together with its electrical connections;

Fig. 5 is a side elevationA of a friction clutch used in connection with the device;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken diametrically through a preferred form of control switch; y

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing in a modied form 'of the invention one of mechanical locking device.

Figs. 8 and .9 are respectively a longitudinal sectionall view taken on the line 8-8 and a transverse sectional view taken on the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig.A 10 is ya diagrammatic View of the mechanism of Fig. 7 together with its electrical connections.

As the invention may be admirably embodied in a gear shifting mechanism for automobiles it will be described'in connection with such a device but it will be readily apbut may be utilized wherever an electrically controlled selective means is operated from.

be mounted at any suitable place on an au- Y tomobile and which has a pair of parallelly disposed gear shifting rods 5 and 6 extending into opposite ends of the same and .mounted for reciprocatory movement in either longitudinal direction to shift the different speed gears usual in automobile construction. YVhile two rodsare illustrated the description of any one rod and its conneted parts will cover any number of such ro s. in the casing has an electromagnet containing box 7, preferably in the form of a no1- low casing, fixed to the rod anf7 forming the inner stop for strong balancing springs 8 and 9 which act to return the rod to its normal inoperative position when free of 'the locking means hereinafter described.

The box contains two stop electromagnets 10 and l1 of the plunger type disposed longitudinally of the rod, the plungers 12 and -13 of4 which are normallyheld depressed be- The central portion vof each rod with low the top plate 14 of the box by means of springs 15. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 a locking electromagnet 16 is positioned between the stop electromagnets and has a plunger 17 projected by means of the spring 18 through the bottom'plate of the box 7 to slide on and oil' the ends of a locking bar 19 which is fastened to the casing 4. A reciprocating power member 20 has its opposite ends guided'in tracks 21 on the inner longitudinal side of the casing 4 for movement longitudinally of the rods 5 and 6A and across the top of the boxes 7 fixed to these rods.

The plungers 12 and 13 are arranged so that when either one is projected above the top plate 14 by the passage of current through either of the electromagnets, the pro]ected plunger will be in the path of travel and in advance of the member 20 toV form a stop or catch for connecting theI member and rod.

The member 2O is reciprocated in any suitable manner and is shown to be in the form of a cross head actuated by means of a connecting link 22 and crank 23 driven from a shaft 24 which is suitably journaled in the casing 4. A Y

The shaft may be connected with any motor driven mechanism as by means of a flexible shaft 25J. lln automobile construction it has been found convenient to attach the generator shaft to the Hexible shaft thus permitting the convenient locating of the ox. l In connectionl with the installationof the0 device, on such devices as automobiles, a friction clutch 26, of any conventional form now used on automobi e construction and one form of which is illustrated in Fig. 5, isl` inserted at some suitable place in the line of the flexible (shaft. This clutch is vso controlled by a suitable pedal 27 that the crank will have no motion except when the usual engine clutch is out, when the. clutch is 1n the faces 28 will be apart and no power transmitted. For the purpose of this disclosure it is to be understood that the pedal 27 maybe the usual clutch control pedal found on automobile construction.

The movement of the rod into its locked position may be used to interrupt automatically the electric current through the electromagnets ,10 .and 11 and for this purpose the plunger 17 of the locking 'electromagnets is provided with an insulated head 29 adapted when the plunger is moved into its locking position to Iengage one ofA the pair of normall closed contacts 30 constituting a cirstop electromagnets.`

cuit reaker to break the circuit through'the The supply of current to the, several electromagnets is controlled by a switch 31T which may be mounted on top of the steering wheel of the vehicle or in any other position convenient to the operator. The switch used in connection with the form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 is ofthe two way type and includes a lever 32 constituting the hand control of the switch which lever is pivoted at one end for universal movement and a l are disposed in an aic to the outside of the late and 1n position to have the circuit completed therethrough when the lever is brought into engagement therewith and' so spaced from the plate 34 that the lever is out of contact with the plate when in engagement' with any other contacts.

A suitable source of electric energy 35 is connected through the conductors 36 with the pair of locking lelectromagnets and the` o circuit including these electromagnets contains a cut out switch 37 so connected with Y the engine clutch and with the pedal controlled clutch 26 that the cut out switch is in circuit closing position only when the clutch is out. This circuit also includes the main snap switch 38 the two locking electromagnets in parallel, cut out switch 37 plate 34, lever 32 andthe source.

Current is supplied to the stop electromagnets at adjacent ends of each rod by .means of'a conductor 39 which leads from one of the` contacts, such as R to another of the contacts, such as 1, and similarly current is lead through the pair of electromagnets at the other end of the box b conductor 40, opposite `ends, of which lea from another pair of contacts, such as 2 and 3.

The circuit breaker 30 of one of the rods' is positioned -in a conductor 41 connecting the conductor 39v with the conductor 36 and the other circuit breaker 30 is in a conductor 42 whichconnects conductors 36 and 40.

lln the form 'illustrated in Fig. 10 only four stop electromagnets are needed to provide the four shifts, the locking electro- I magnets being omitted together with the contact plate 34. In this form a conductor i 43 leads from the source to one side of each ico lll@

of the electromagnets and separate conduc-v tors lead from the opposite side of each 'of the electromagnets to thecontacts R, 1, 2'

and y3. f IThe locking mounted on the top of the casing 4 at the when pushed thereto.u by the members 20.

- device in Athis 'form is proi vided by the spring pressed l"catches 44 These catches or bolts are positioned in housy naeeee ings depending from the cover plate of the casing 4 and normally roject therefrom by means of springs 44, he end of the catches depending from the cover plate of the casing fswitch box 35 to a multiple plu c fits into a jack strip on the side o the casing 4 so that it can be conveniently detached.

To indicate what setrof gears are `connected a lamp indicatorl 48 may be positioned at some suitable place on the auto-I mobile with each lamp .thereof in a circuit shunted oil the contacts R, N, 1, 2 and 3 so that the closing of the circuit through any of the contacts will light the corresponding designated lamp.

In operation and With the several parts in the position shown and with the clutch out and contact closed, the cross head may be considered as reciprocating under the action of the power supplied to the shaft. The switch-lever may then be moved to engage any of the contacts as for instance to engage the Contact 1, as shown in Fig. 4. This will complete the circuit from the source through the closed circuit breakers, through one \of the stop electromagnets, contact 1, the lever and back to the source. Y'

The passage of current will plunger of one of the stop-electromagnets into the path of the reciprocating member so as to cause this member to engage the projected end of the plunger and to act thereon to slide the rod supporting the same longitu'-,

d inally for a distance equal to and in the direction of movement of the stroke of this member. It will be thus seen that the slide 720 may slide back and forth without moving any of the rods but as soon as one of the moving slide,

plungers is projectedv into the path of the the plunger is engaged and its attached rod'shifted to make the desiredshift in the arrangements of the gears or other mechanism controlled by the shifting of the rods 5, 6. During this sliding movementI theplun .er of the locking electromagnet on this shi ted rod is in engagement with 1 the lockingl barunder the action of the ger Aautomatically interrupts the circuitf spring but when it reaches its locking positionat the. end of the bar it will be ,forced into a loweredposition at the end of the locking bar 19. This droppingof the plun- -.through the contacts 30 and the current will ing member to shift project the then be completed from the source through the locking magnet on the shifted rod. This breaking of the circuit through contacts 30 further acts to intercept the current through the stop electromagnet, thus permitting the spring acting on the plunger of the stop electromagnet to Withdraw the same from the path of the reciprocating member.

To withdraw the plunger of the locking electromagnet from its locking position the lever is raised out of engagement with its lettered contacts and linto engagement with the plate 34. The' current will thus be completed from the sourcethrough the locking electromagnet, the clutch switch, contact .plate, and lever back to the source. The

completion-of the current through the electromagnet 16 willenergize the same and act on the plunger 17 to raise the same clear of the locking bar 19. Releasing the locking of theshifted rod permits the balancing spring under tension to return the rod and its attached electromagnet box back to its normalnoperative position.

In the form shown in'Fig. 10 the lever may be moved to engage any of the contacts as the one lettered l in which the circuit is completed from the source through the conductor 43, the right hand electromagnet 11, contact 1, lever and conductor back to the source'.- This will raise the plunger of the energized electromagnet as has been previously described, to permit the reciprocatthe rod in which position it is locked by the spring pressed catch 44. The rod will' be maintained, locked in its shifted position as long as current flows through the electromagnet.` Raising the lever out of engagement with the contacts interrupts the current through the electromagnet and permits the spring acting on the plunger to withdraw the same out of con- -tacts.

A device of'this character may be actuated from any convenient orcontinuously'moving engi-ne part and the only electric ener consumption in the system is that actually used for a moment to shift the plungers of the locking and stop electromagnets in the form illustrated in Fig.,2. Even the form illustrated in Fig. 8 requires butlittle electric energy to maintain the plungers in theirl projected 'position for the plungers are not required to do any Work against resistance. Should the circuit controlling the electromagnets in this latter form become shortor open or if the battery should become discharged, the gear shifting rods will automatically return to their normal inoperative position and in this way a safety device is provided.

It is understood that so long as any rod is shifted, z'. e. any gear is in mesh, a mistake cannot be made as all of the magnet circuits are open until the shifted rod is returned to its normal position.

I-laving thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism actuating rod, a stop carried by said rod, electromagnetic means controlled from a distance for moving said stop to and from an operative position, a reciprocating power member movable parallel to the length of said rod and adapted to engage said stop when in operative position thereby to shift the rod longitudinally into an operative position and means for automatically locking said rod in its shifted position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism actuating rod, a stop carried by said rod, electromagnetic means controlled from a distance for moving said stop to and from an operative position, a reciproca-ting power member movable parallel to the length of said rod and adapted to engage said stop when in operatlve position thereby to shift the rod longitudinally intoan operative position, means forrautomatically locking .said 'rod in its shifted position and means engaging said rod tending to return the same to its normal inoperative position when unlocked. A

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism actuating rod,

a stop carried by said rod, a reciprocating ower member 4movable parallel to the ength of said rod and adapted to engage said stop to shift the rod longitudinally into an operative position, means for automatically locking said rod yin its shifted position, means engaging said rod tending to return the same to its normal inoperative position when unlocked and electrically controlled means for unlocking said rod.

fi. In a device of the class described, the

,combination of a mechanism actuatingrod,

a stop carried by said rod, a reciprocating power member movable parallel to the lengthof said rod' and adapted to engage said stop to shift the rod longitudinally into an operative position, means for automatically locking said rod in its shifted position and electrically actuated means for moving said stop relative to the path of movement-of the reciprocating member.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism actuating rod mounted for longitudinal movement in either direction from a normal position, a pairof spaced apart stops carried by said rod, a power member mounted for reciprocatory movement parallel to said rod and selective means for positioning either one of said stops in the path of movement of said-power member thereby to shift the rod in the direction of movement of said member engaging the stop.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism actuating rod, a mechanically actuated member, means engaging said member designed to move the same for a distance greater than the maximum distance necessary to effect the actuation of the rod, and electrically controlled means carried by said rod adapted lto form a connection between said member and rod whereby said rod is shifted by the movement of said member and locking means for holding said rod in its shifted position.

In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism actuating rod, a mechanically yactuated member, a continuously moving power device operatively connected to sald member, an electricallyment o said moving member into a position beyond the control of said member and automatically actuated meansA for locking said rod in its shifted position independent of the movin member. V

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of-a mechanism actuating rod,

a.mech'anically actuated member, a power shaft operatively connected to said member and adapted to move the same continuously, an electrically controlled means formin a connection between said rod and mem er whereby said rod may be shifted at will by the movement of said member, automatically actuated means Yfor lockingsaid rod in its shifted osition and electrically controlled meansj or moving said locking means into a unlocking positlon. y

10. In a device of the class described, the

Vcombination of a mechanism actuating rod,

a mechanically actuated member, an electrically controlled means lforming a connecv tionbetween said rod and member whereby said rod may be shifted at will by the movement 'of said member and. means controlled by the movement of the rod into ed position for interrupting the current its shiftthrough said electrically. controlled means. 11. ln adevice of the class described, the combination with an actuating member, an actuated member, a pair of stop electromagnets each designed to connect said members and a loekin electromagnet designed to lock one of said members, of an electric circuit including a source of electric energy, said locking electromagnet and a contact of a two way switch, said second circuit termimembers and 'nating 1n a pair of contacts and including a pair of stop electromagnets in series, and a two-way switch adapted in one position to engage said first named .contact to close the vcircuit through the locking electromagnet and in another position to engage one of the pair of contacts to close the circuit through its corresponding stop electromagnet. A v

12, In '.a device of the class described, the combination with an actuating member, an actuated member, a pair of stop electromagnets each designed to connect said a locking electromagnet designed Vto lock one of s aid members, of an electric circuit including a source of electric energy, said locking electromagnet and a contact of a two-.way switch, a second circuit terminating in a pair of contacts and including said pair of stop electromagnets in series, a two-wayswitch adapted in one position to engage said rst named contact to close thel circuit through -the locking electromagnet and in another position to engage one of thepair of contacts to close the circ 't through its corresponding stop electromagnet and a normally closed circuit breaker connecting said circuits.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with an actuating member, ,an actuated member and a pair of electromagnets designed to connect said members, of .a circuit including a pair of contacts forming the terminal of said circuit and said pair of electromagnets disposed in series in said cir`cuit, `a source of electric energy, a conductor leading from one side of said -source to the portion of the rst named conductor connecting the electromagnets, a circuit switch adaptedv to engage either one of the pair of contacts and a con-= vshifting rods,

eating member, electrically controlled seductor leading from the other side of said source to said switch whereby moving the switch into one of the contacts will energize the corresponding electromagnet.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with an actuating member, an actuated member and a pair of electromagnets designed to connect saidmembers, of a circuit including a pair of contacts forming the terminal of said circuit and a pair of electromagnets disposed in series in said circuit, a source of electric energy, a conductor leading from one side of said source to the portion of the iirst named conductor connecting the electromagnets, a circuit switch adapted to engage either one of the pair of contacts, a conductor leading from. the other side of said source to said switch whereby moving the switch into one of the contacts will energize the corresponding electromagnet, and a circuit shunted from each of said pair of contacts, an indicator in each of said circuits actuated by the completion of the circuit through either of the said contacts. I

-15. In a device of the class described, the combination of a'pluralityl of mechanism a mechanically driven reciprolective means designed to be disposed in the path of travel of the reciprocating member or connecting one of said rods with said reciprocating member to shift the rod in the desired direction.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mechanism controlling rod adapted to be shifted longitudinally, a continuously Lreciprocating power member, electrically controlled means for connecting said rod with said member whereby said rod will travel with said member to actuate the mechanism controlled thereby, said member being free to move inde endently of the position of the rod'where y said member maybe driven from a continuously moving element of an engine.

Signed at New York city, n the county of New York, and State of New York, this ninthday of November, A. D. 1914:.

HOWARD J. RAY.. Witnesses: l

' M. J. Coorna,

S. A. TnoRN'roN. 

